New Study - Americans Agree: Insurance Companies Should Cover Cost of Birth Control

WASHINGTON — According to a new survey released today by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, seven out of 10 Americans believe that health insurance companies should cover the full cost of birth control, as required by the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) birth control benefit. Mitt Romney has vowed to repeal the birth control benefit and the ACA if he is elected. More than three-quarters of Americans — including two out of three Republicans — think the government should continue to help low-income women access birth control, which is what Title X does — another program that Mitt Romney has vowed to eliminate.

“This study underscores how deeply out of touch Mitt Romney’s positions are on women’s health. Mitt Romney would make it harder for people to get birth control, and the majority of Americans — including most Republicans and Independents — disagree with him,” said Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “Clearly, Mitt Romney recognizes this, and that’s why he’s trying to run away from his positions to end funding for Planned Parenthood preventive health care services, repeal the birth control benefit, and end the nation’s family planning program that provides access to birth control and other preventive care to more than five million Americans.”

Other findings from the survey include

Eight in ten adults agree that during tough economic times, it is important to reduce unplanned pregnancy by increasing women's access to birth control. Majorities of Democrats (92 percent), Independents (80 percent) and Republicans (59 percent) agree this is important.

Eight in ten adults agree that politicians who oppose abortion should be strong supporters of birth control. Majorities of Democrats (85 percent), Independents (80 percent) and Republicans (71 percent) agree with this sentiment.

Large majorities of adults — including Democrats (97 percent), Independents (96 percent), and Republicans (92 percent) — agree that for those trying not to get pregnant, using birth control is taking personal responsibility.

This survey comes only a few weeks after a Contraceptive CHOICE Study revealed that access to no co-pay birth control — as is outlined in the Affordable Care Act — leads to significantly lowered unintended pregnancy and abortion rates.

Additional facts about affordable and accessible birth control

Birth control has contributed to the advancement of women in the workplace by allowing them to plan for their futures and invest in their careers.

Research finds that availability of the pill is responsible for a third of women’s wage increases relative to men.

By the 1980s and ’90s, the women who had early access to the pill were making eight percent more each year than those who did not.

# # #

Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.